


She Saw the Truth

by Oswald_Nygmobblepot



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-21 08:33:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13737102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oswald_Nygmobblepot/pseuds/Oswald_Nygmobblepot
Summary: Severus Snape finds a young Gryffindor first year in the corridors after curfew, a first year who sees the truth of her mean bully of a professor. (Takes place near the end of Half-Blood Prince, a few days before Dumbledore's death)





	She Saw the Truth

Severus walked slower than his usual brisk pace, through the halls of Hogwarts, his wand lit as he made his way through the darkened passages. It was nearing midnight, far past the time he should have gone to bed, but with the end of the year nearing, Dumbledore’s hand getting worse, and the knowledge of what he must do came closer and closer, he found sleep more and more elusive with each passing night. He took to wandering the halls, his mind being pulled in multiple different directions at the same time, his body sore and aching from lack of sleep, anxiety, and depression, being pulled forward one step at a time by sheer determination alone. 

He walked through the upper corridors, deciding now to head back to bed for the night, even if it was to lay awake and stare at the ceiling, at least he could rest his body, if not his mind. 

As he made his way through the halls he paused when he saw one of the corridors torches lit a ways down the hall from where he was. Not in a direction he was planning on going. Filch must have missed a few, it wasn’t surprising. But something seemed off … As if by a force pulling him forward, he headed down the hallway away from his destination, despite how tired he felt. If anything, he could put the torches out, clear his mind as well as he could, and head to bed. 

Once he entered the lit hall, he looked down the corridor to see a young girl sitting on one of the stone benches. A Gryffindor by the looks of it, still in school uniform, her knees pulled up to her chest, her hands clutching something. A soft sniff filtered through the hallways. 

A student out of bed, after hours … He shook his head a moment, steeled his face and walked briskly forward to reprimand her but faltered when he saw what was in her hand. His footsteps slowed until he stilled, leaving them in silence once more. She knew he was here, his footsteps had been confident enough up until that point. 

He stood there staring at her a moment, his posture relaxing slightly. She didn’t look up at him, likely wondering when he would start deducting points. His eyes drifted from her hands to the black envelope in her hands and he wondered what he should do. If he should just leave her, allow her her own time, maybe take her to her head of house. But no, he was a grown adult, he could handle this on his own, there was no sense in waking up Minerva when there was little the witch could do. He slowly moved forward, almost cautiously before he sat down beside her, the girl moving away from him just slightly on the bench. 

What does one say in a situation like this? Are you okay? Of course she wasn’t, that would be a stupid question. They sat in silence for a few moments before the girl wiped her sleeve over her face, wiping the tears away. 

“My mom …” She said, sniffing again as she moved the envelope slightly. It wasn’t opened, it seemed she didn’t need to to know who it was. 

“I’m sorry.” Severus said quietly, even though he had nothing to do with it, it just seemed like the right thing to say. 

“Are you?” She asked, glancing up at him, her blue eyes shining with tears. “You’ve never really seemed like the sympathetic sort.” 

“I’m generally not. But death is somewhat of an exception. I have no sympathy for things that are in peoples control … Death is never in anyone's control.” He said and watched her as she looked back down at the envelope. They sat in silence again, Severus feeling a bit strange. He should have just walked away, let her deal with this without his uncomfortable presence, but he couldn’t just leave her here alone. 

“She was sick.” She said, shaking her head. “For a long time. Since I was born I think … For as long as I can remember. She went last night …” She said pausing as her eyes started tearing up more. “I didn’t even get to say goodbye.” She said, and without control over it, she started crying again, her hands clutching the letter. His hand went to her back, running over it soothingly and he nearly jumped when she dove into him, hugging him as she cried. 

He sat there stunned, his hands up slightly, not really sure what to do before they settled on her back. It was awkward to say the least, at least for him, but she clearly needed someone. She was alone here, scared, frightened, sad. It was something he could very strongly relate to. It was some time before she calmed enough to realize what she was doing, his coat soaked with tears and she backed away, tears still running down her face. 

“I’m sorry, Professor.” She said quietly, looking away from him. 

“It’s alright.” Though truth be told, nothing about this was alright. “Will your father be coming to get you?” 

“I have no father.” She said shaking her head. “He left a long time ago …” This wasn’t fair. She was too young to know pain such as this. But such was life. They sat in silence again as the girl calmed, her breathing starting to even. This time it was Severus who broke the silence. 

“I was only a little older than you …” He said suddenly. “When my mum died.” He said quietly and her eyes hesitantly looked up at him. “She was sick too, though not for so long. It was sudden.” 

“Does the pain ever go away?” She asked, no doubt right now she felt like it would never leave. 

“I don’t know.” He said. “When she died, I didn’t feel anything.” She looked shocked, baffled even that anyone could say that about their mother. “I don’t have fond memories of my parents … I felt more relief than anything when they passed.” 

“That’s awful.” She said, looking somewhere between shocked and concerned. “Every child should have fond memories of their parents.” She said, and she knew exactly why he was telling her this. Despite her mother's death, she had something to miss. She had fond memories of her mother. Going to the park, going out for dinner, going to the circus. Her mother always smiled, despite the pain she was in, she always put her daughter first. She couldn’t imagine having a mother so horrid that she’d feel relief when she died. 

“They should.” Severus agreed. “I’m sorry for your loss.” He said putting his hand on her back again. “Do you have anyone that can be contacted? Who you’ll be staying with for the summer?” 

“I don’t know … The only family I have left is in America. A distant cousin of my mothers. She never liked me much …” Severus’ chest hurt at those words. No one left but someone who didn’t like her. “I don’t want to leave Hogwarts.” Severus took a deep breath. He knew what that felt like. Not in this situation, but seventh year … Having to go home. Thinking he’d never return here. He’d never felt more safe than in this school, but with what was coming soon … Voldemort’s overtaking. It was inevitable. 

“Perhaps it would be best if you went to Ilvermorny.” He said and she looked up at him, a look of pain on her face. “It would be safer there, with what is happening here.” 

“There’s a war coming.” She said, not looking away from him. “I know … All the first years know. We’re not as naive as people think. We’re young, but not stupid.” 

“I never said you were.” Severus said, if there was one thing he knew about her from her year in his class was that she was smart, studious, and she thought for herself. She didn’t just read and memories things from a textbook like a certain thorn in his side in his sixth year class. She thought outside of the box, tried to make improvements. If anything, she reminded him much of himself at this age. 

“I don’t want to leave.” She said. “I don’t … Hogwarts is my home. I don’t want to lose the only thing I have left!” 

Every bit of him screamed at him to leave it well enough alone. That he had enough to deal with. To not do something rash or stupid. He looked away from her a moment, his eyes closed and he was grateful that she wasn’t looking at him. It was at this age that he needed someone, anyone, to stand up for him. To help him. Not to turn their back on him, and if he did that now, she would most certainly be sent away, she’d lose everything she had, and she’d feel betrayed by everyone around her. Just as he had. 

He couldn’t allow that to happen. 

“You won’t.” he said, opening his eyes. “You’ll stay at Hogwarts. I promise.” He said, hating that he’d just said that. He’d never once broke a promise in his life … And there was only one way he’d be able to keep good on that promise. Find someone to adopt her within the next week. Someone in England, who wasn’t on Voldemort’s side. The Weasley’s perhaps … But no, they had too much responsibility, too much stress taking care of their own children, plus the Potter boy. 

One week was not enough time to find someone to adopt a child … But … He had promised. “I’m not sure if you’ll like the option … But I’ll discuss it with the Headmaster tomorrow morning.” 

“I can stay at the school?” She asked, and for the first time since he’d came into this corridor, her teary eyes lit up with hope. A hope he’d wished he’d had at that age and almost instantly his mind was made up. So long as she agreed. 

“Yes.” He said. “But, you’ll have to be adopted by someone by schools end.” He said his mind still screaming at him not to do it. Not to agree to this. He saw the hope shatter from her eyes. 

“That’s less than a week away.” She said. “No one will. Everyone wants to adopt babies, and cute little kids. I’m just a scrawny little geeky kid that no one likes. Who will adopt me?” 

“If we are unable to find someone to your liking … Then I will.” He said and her eyes widened in shock. “It will be in title only, so that you can remain at the school. You will remain in the dormitories, nothing will change except you’ll come stay with me during the summers.” He said, knowing it sounded absolutely asinine when he said it outloud. “If that is what you want.” If anything, if she were to remain at the school, it would probably be her safest option, seeing as how she is muggleborn. Voldemort wouldn’t touch something that was his. This would help her, if she were to remain here. Save her. He had to. 

She was silent as he proposed his offer to her. She really did have a choice to make here. And it was one she would have to make so quickly after her mother's death. 

“Why would you do this for me?” She asked, looking up at him confused. “You hate Gryffindors.” 

“I don’t hate Gryffindors, sure I’ll go along with the rivalry, and I want my house to win. But everyone, no matter their house, are people. And you are just a child … A child in need of help. Help that I can provide. Help that I’d wished that I’d had at your age …” She knew his words spoke volumes of just who Professor Snape was, and that alone put her mind at ease. There was more to him than the greasy bat of the dungeons. The sharp tongued, wicked man she knew in class. Tonight she saw him as more than just a menacing teacher, she saw him as a human being. One that was capable of compassion and sympathy, and a need to help the people around him. 

She saw the truth. 

She took a deep breath. “Can I think about it for a few days?” She asked, it was a very big decision, and one she didn’t want to make lightly, just as his decision to make the offer hadn’t been made lightly. She’d seen the internal debate, the struggle to make this decision. 

“Of course.” He said quietly, silently wishing that she would decline, and then scolding himself for thinking that. She could have so much better by moving, he shouldn’t have offered. But that was her decision to make, and hers alone. He would help her if she allowed him to. “I’ll walk you back to Gryffindor Tower.” He said standing from his seat and she nodded, wiping the tears from her face again as she stood. She didn’t feel quite as lost, or alone. She felt like she had someone who cared, even if it was greasy old Professor Snape. 

Someone was willing to help her. 


End file.
